Apparatus for proportioning the charge of fuel and air in internal-combustion engines.



L. s. STEVENS. APPARATUS FOR PROPORTIONING THE CHARGE OF FUEL AND AIR ININTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZS, 1915. 1,269,757.

Patented June 18, 1918.

$4. Md; I

v UNITED STATES PATENT omnon.

LYMJAN s. STEVENS, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

dbl-PPABA'IUS EORZPRGPORTION'ING THE CHERGE OF FLT-EL- AND AIRlNINTERNAL- GQ'lVIlBU-STION" ENGINES.

- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J e 18 1918 npplicationfiledMay 25,1915.v Serial No. 30,310.

To. all whom itmay. concern mBe it knqw nvthat LL MA 8.; STEVENS, arcitizen of, I the ldnitedf States residing. at Baltimore-city, in the,State of,Maryland, a 5. have invented ia certain- ,new and. useful JAP-j-paratus! sfon .Propgortioning, :the: Charge of --Fnel and "Air; inlnternalcqmbustiongEngines, of which the followingris a;.spec1ficaa tion.

1 My-inventionrelates:to improvements in .;apparatus. for..'-proportioning the:v charge of r f l: ndi n nterna'leombustl e g ,and.the'objectgof ny invention is the 'providing of \means, tomeasure the;exact amount 5 ofgasonoarburetedairthat is consumed in I the cylinder ofan3 internal combustlon ene. I A, further;- object -:of my.- inventionis i the providing;. of; meansv of controlling the size -,iofsthemeasure measuningi the amount of gas oricanbureted air that is consumed.or .may Vibe regulredto:bQ regUlatBd I A further object. of my inventionis an improved regulatorrforiregulatingvthe size .-otsa dim as afurthemobject. of myainvention is the -means of definitelyproportioning. the; an

i -1;tu1'e,-o -fuel-Y and air an internal coinbusz :tion engine andofregulat ng said} proporw l ii ll Y vvi r theaioreg ins otherOblectsview my invention consists of the novelconstnuction, .combinatloniand arrangement of parts; as 4 hereinafter, specifically. described:iand illustratedin the accompanying. drawing; wherein shown the;preferred" embodi- 5 irmentiofwmy inwention butit is to be:understood:.tl at; changes, variations .and,inodifica- 1: tions cans-beresortedatO,Wll1Cl1 come w thln e hescope f, i t c ims-he e nt app n In thedrawing. of ethe herein described nembodimentof imy inven-tion is shownarview in .el vatio apar v n se io wf my PP ara tus -asapplied-toadouble acting,v;two ,145 cycle internals combustion engine, but I wish1, itlunders QQd-that it will-be justasgeifective pit -applied toasingleeacting, two cycle, four ';cycl a not ervtyp .,eI1gne a r :19;Similar y, numerals refer to simila'r. I parts i throughouttheseveral}lviews.

' luand. 2?:21'8 the;oombustionwcylinders.V 3 wand 4, are;,\pistonsoperating within said I cylinders; andgin; the .rconstruction shown ormat s ngle pi 5 isanexra isi n ta 1 6 ds ,a' reducingqvalve. 7 s a pipefrom. the

l supply. 8 is the conductingchamber which embraces pipes- 9 andcylinder10. 11 is a delivery pipe connecting expansion tank 5 ity of cylinder10.

Pipes 9 connect to cylinders 1 and 2 through valves 21 and 22, whichvalves regulate the admission of fuel into the working cylinders fromconducting chamber 8 and are operated and timed by cams 23 on disk 14.24 is an air pump connected to cylinders 1 and 2 by air pipe 25. Theadmission of air from pipe 25 is-controlled by pistons 3 and arespectively, uncovering air admission ports at or near the end of-theirstroke, the

air in air pipe 25 being undersome pressure.

26 is an exhaust port for cylinder 1.

Thecperation of my invention is as follows:

The fuel which may consist'ofany expansive oXidizable substance,among'which might be enumerated, hydrocarbon. 'miX- turesor evaporatesand carbonxmonoxids, is admitted toeXp-ansion tank 5 and theremaintained under-substantially a constant pressure, by supply 7 andregulating valve 6.

,Upon the opening of valve 12 conducting chamber 8 is filled with thefuel at the pres sure of that of expansion tank 5', tl1e capacityofconducting chamber 8 is varied by enlarging orv decreasing thecapacity of cylinder 10 on the working side of 'piston 18 by the movingof said" piston, thus the amount of fuel in conducting chamber 8,'undera definite pressure is constant and predetermined and may be'changedwhen desired.

Valves 12, 21 and 22 are so timed that valve 12 is always closed wheneither of the others is open, and'the other valves are so timed r as toadmit fuel from conducting chamber 8 into the respective cylinders whichthey each control at the desiredtime V of admisslon, relative to thepistons working therein. v

Upon theopening of either valve 21 or 22, discharge takes place fromconducting chamber 8-aiidthepressure drops therein and becomes equalizedwith the pressure in .the cylinder which is "in communication therewith.I might remark here that the pressure in the expansion tank ismuch inexcess of the ressure in the cylinder-sat the time of admission througheither valve 21 or22.y'

1 For further information it may be desired to give a concrete exam leof one adjustment 7 and proportioning. ydrocarbon gas may be admittedthrough supply pi e 7 at-sixty p d g ge pressure and re uced by r ducingvalve 6 to thirty pounds gage pressurein expansion tank 5. And under thecondition that'conducting chamber Shave a f' relative cubical, contentsto'cylinders 1 and 2 of one-sixth the size of each of said cylinders,fuel may enter said cylinders during the compressionstroke at any pointbelow "theexpansion tank pressure, 'I'ha'vej found I betweentwo and fivepounds satisfactory.

Having thus described my invention, what 7 I claim and desire to secureby Letters Fat ent is:

fuel in said chamber in combination with means of varying the'capacityof said chainber' within the limit's of its maximum or minimum topredetermine a definite charge for said cylinder and means ofmaintaining said capacity during the discharge from said J chamber.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a workin' cylinder, means ofadmitting airto said cy inder from the atmosphere "at at mosphericpressure, a source of gaseous fuel,

aconducting chamber intermediate between said source and said cylinderand means of controlling the entry and exit of gaseous fuel in saidchamber in combination with" means of varyingthe capacity of saidchamber,consisting of a chamber provided with means of changinigthevolume thereof with- I inthe limits of its maximum or minimum a to"redetermine a definite "charge forflsaid'j I v p x expansion tank intoSald' "COIIdIIGtiIigQGhQm 7 cylinder andmeans of maintaining I saidcapacity during Ithe discharge from said chamber. j t i 3. In an,internaljcombustion engine, a 4 workin 1 c linder',' means ofadmitting'fair to Said; cyfifid er' fromthe atmosphere atatmosphericpressure, a source'ofgaseous fuel, a

conducting chamber intermediatebetween said source, and said cylinder,and means of controlling the entry and exitof gaseous fuel in saidchamberincombination with means of varying the capacity of'said chamher,consisting of a chamber provided with meansof changing the volumethereofwithin i aiu mz amal i I Vided with means of varying the 0 thereof,consisting of a movable.wall

the limits of its maximum or minimum to predetermine a definite chargefor said cylinder and meanstf maintaining said cap y' ur g th is argefroms eidch *bBB and external means for making such regulation.- a t a4. In; an internal combustionfengine, a

workin cylinder, means of admitting air to said cy mder from theatmosphere at atmospheric pressure, means of admitting fuel to saidcylinder from a sourceof constant'presitythereof to predetermine a "denitefcharge for said cylinder, means of maintaining said capacity duringthe discharge from id chamber and means of controlling the flo of 'fuelin 'and out'of "said chamber.

5. In an internal combustion engine,

means of proportioni'ngthe admixture of' gaseous fuel and air,consisting of an adjustable gaseous fuel measure whereby a predetermineddefinite" quantity of gaseous fuel is admitted to a'hgiven quantity ofair to' predetermine a de nitecharge for said cylinder and means ofmaintaining said 6. In an" internahcombustion engine "in combination, aplurality of working cylinde'rs provided with means of admittlng fuelfrom a common "source to each of the said cylinders independently, meansof coma ling the discharge into" said common source "a space betweensaid discharge' meansand said'admission means provided with means ofvarying the capacity of "the" same within the limits of-itsmaximumorminimum, and

automatic means operating to close said space to each of thecylinderso'r supply as the case may be 7 In aninternal combustionengine, a gaseous fuel expansion tank provided with means of "maintainina constant' pressure therein, a; working cy inder, means of"conatrolling the admission of fuel into said cyl :inder, a-conductingchamber between said expansion tank and said admissionprovidedwithmeansiofvarying theca'pac 1 thereof, and means of admittingfrom" sai her and closin'gthe same when said f cylinder admission meanspennits"admissio ifmm said conducting chamber into said cylinder;-

, 8;In an'interhal combustion engine; a

gaseous fuel expansiontank provided with nean s of mainta ning a"constant jpressure therein, a working cylmder means' of conlin der,aconducting chamber between sai exj panslon tank and said admission"means *protrolling the admission of fuel tosjaid ure consistingof'anintermediat-e chamber 7 provided with meansofchang'in 'thecapac andmeans of operating said wafl'rromwith out to change the volume thereof,and means of admission from said expansion tank into said conductingchamber and closingthe same when said cylinder admission means permitsadmission from said conducting chamber into said. cylinder.

9. In an internal combustion engine in combination a plurality ofworking cylinders provided with means of admitting fuel from a commonsource to each of the said cylinders independently, means of controllingthe discharge into said common source, a space between said dischargemeans and said admission means provided with means of varying the same,and automatic means operating to maintain said space closed to each ofthe cylinders or supply as the case may be, and a gaseous fuel expansiontank provided with means of maintaining a constant pressure therein incommunication with said space and controlled by said admission means.

.10. In an internal combustion engine, a working cylinder, means ofadmitting air to said cylinder from the atmosphere at at mosphericpressure, a source of gaseous fuel, a conducting chamber intermediatebetween said source and said cylinder and means of controlling the entryand exit of gaseous fuel in said chamber in combination with means ofvarying the capacity of said chamber to predetermine a definite chargefor said cylinder and means of maintaining said capacity during thedischarge from said chamber.

11. In an internal combustion engine, a working cylinder, a source ofgaseous fuel supply, a conducting chamber intermediate between saidsource and said cylinder and means of controlling the entry and exit ofgaseous fuel in said chamber in combination with means of varying thecapacity of said chamber within the limits of its maximum or minimum topredetermine a definite charge for said cylinder and means ofmaintaining said ca acity during the discharge from said cham er.

12. In an internal combustion engine, a working cylinder, a relativelyfixed air supply, a source of gaseous fuel, a conducting chamberintermediate between said source and said cylinder and means ofcontrolling the entry and exit of gaseous fuel in said chamber incombination with means of varying the capacity of said chamber,consisting of a chamber provided with means of changing the volumethereof.

13. In an internal combustion engine, a working cylinder, a source ofgaseous fuel, a conducting chamber intermediate between said source andsaid cylinder and means of controlling the entry and exit of gaseousfuelin said chamber in combination with means of varying the capacity ofsaid chamber, consisting of a chamber provided with means of changingthe volume thereof within the limits of its maximum or minimum.

14:- In an internal combustion engine, a working cylinder, arelatively'fixed air supply, a source of gaseous fuel, a conductingchamber intermediate between said source and said cylinder and means ofcontrolling the entry and exit of gaseous fuel in said chamber incombination With means of varying the capacity of said cylinder,consisting of a chamber provided with means of changing the volumethereof and external means for making such regulation.

15. In an internal combustion engine, a working cylinder, a source ofgaseous fuel, a conducting chamber intermediate between said source andsaid cylinder and means of controlling the entry and exit of gaseousfuel in said chamber in combination with means of varying the capacityof said cylinder, consisting of a chamber provided with means ofchanging the volume thereof within the limits of its maximum or minimumand external means for making such regulation.

LYMAN S. STEVENS. Witnesses 5 HOWARD A. SWEETEN, WILLIAM W. VARNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

